Wishes Waiting Warm Inside
by lizook
Summary: "While you were wasting the day, I got everything ready for the morning."


**Spoilers/Timeline**: None/Set in the future

**A/N**: Just found this lurking on my desktop; hopefully you're all up for some early holiday cheer :)

**Disclaimer**: JAG doesn't belong to me; title from Sugarland's _Gold and Green_.

* * *

Yawning, she looped the belt on her robe and shuffled down the hall to find her husband. A quick glance towards the beach clued her in to just how early it was and she sighed, pulling the silky material closer to her body as she passed Mattie's room.

Their adopted daughter was spending the day with her boyfriend and wouldn't be home until later that evening for dinner; she wondered if it was the reason he was up so early or if he'd really just turned into that big of a kid since they'd been married.

Waking up at an insane hour to unwrap gifts or celebrate anniversaries or...

She grinned at the memories, the warmth drifting over her like his hands brushing across her back, his mouth pressing kisses—

Stumbling, she caught herself against the doorway, her gaze landing on the subject of her previous thoughts. He was in the kitchen humming _Winter Wonderland_, sleep pants slung low on his hips.

"Morning, sleepyhead." He closed the oven door and shot her a smile. "While you were wasting the day, I got everything ready for the morning." He gestured to the steaming coffee mugs and the wrapped gift.

"I might have been inclined to get up earlier if someone hadn't kept me up passed my bedtime."

"I didn't hear you complaining—"

"No complaints, just..." She kissed his cheek. "clarifying..."

"Mhmm." His smile grew as he watched her lean out of the room for a moment, the bottom of her robe riding high on her leg as she rummaged around in the hall closet. God, he was lucky to have her.

Ok, luck probably wasn't the word when it came to them. They'd fought like hell and compromised to get here, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, they'd wasted some time, but knowing they'd come through it and were still crazy in love... in love in some ways he was still discovering after years together... was oddly exhilarating.

Intoxicating.

He rolled his eyes at himself, thankful not for the first time that Mac couldn't _quite _read his mind. She was scarily accurate about his moods and general disposition as it was.

Setting their mugs on the table, he folded himself into a chair as she placed a gift on the table and slid into the seat next to him.

She took a sip of the coffee, closed her eyes and breathed deeply, contentment slowly spreading across her face.

This time of the year had always been rough for both of them. Their years at JAG had started to change that, slipping good memories around the bad, and they'd continued to build on it since they'd gotten married. Each year brought a new tradition–a way to decorate the tree, a specifically placed bunch of mistletoe, fake snow dusting the windows—and this year was no exception.

She'd rolled her eyes at first, arguing that holidays were some of the few times she got to sleep in, but looking at her now—her fingers toying with the wrapping paper on his gift, the half smile lighting her face—he knew she was just as excited as he was. Waking up early and exchanging one gift over breakfast (they'd wait to do the rest with Mattie that night) was about to become the latest Rabb family custom.

"Marines first." He handed her the package, forcing back a smile as she shook her head and slowly peeled the paper away from the gift. Her brow furrowed as the last of the wrapping fell to the table and she found herself staring at what was unmistakably a drive-thru burger.

A Beltway Burger.

"What? How?" She tilted her head towards him, squeezing the package lightly. Yep, it was definitely one of her beloved burgers. One that he so often railed against, made fun of her for, and he'd somehow managed to fly it across country. "When did—"

"Are you really going to interrogate me when one of your favorite foods, one you haven't had since we visited Bud and Harriet last April, is sitting right there?"

There wasn't even a question. Grinning, she unwrapped the burger and took a huge bite.

"Mac, it's not even oh-nine-hundred!"

She swallowed before going back for another bite, her eyebrow lifting as if challenging him to stop her. He just laughed, happy he'd thought to hide the other four in the garage fridge.

He'd never get to his present otherwise.

Letting out a soft sigh, she crumpled up the wrapping and tossed it with the discarded gift wrap. There was some awesome food in San Diego, but sometimes you couldn't beat the nostalgia and—

"Nothing like being neglected for food on Christmas morning."

She laughed as he took a sip of coffee, his bottom lip stuck out in a half hearted pout. "Here." Pushing his gift across the table, she finished the burger and leaned back in her chair.

It was barely in his hands before paper went flying and he sat, mouth hanging open, staring at the custom acoustic guitar strap.

A small Stearman soared high on the shoulder, the name Hammer scrolled down the middle of the strap. His fingers traced the letters slowly, softly. It combined so many things he loved, if only... his hand stilled... there, under the R, etched the smallest font imaginable, were the words "Love always, Mac".

Grinning, he jumped up, practically running to the living room.

"Who's neglected now?"

"Oh come on, you're finished." His voice drifted in from the other room, the soft strumming the guitar already starting.

Throwing the discarded paper spread across the table in the trash, she gathered their mugs and walked to the next room, settling beside him on the couch.

He was well into _Santa Claus is Coming to Town _by this point, laughter bubbling up between verses. She breathed deeply, pausing to take in everything - their initials drawn in fake snow on the window, the stockings Harriet had made them for their first Christmas in San Diego, the way the soft glow of the tree caught in his hair.

Placing the still steaming coffee on the table, she leaned in, kissing _that spot _high on his jaw.

The music suddenly died and he placed the guitar on the other side of the couch, turning to face her completely. "Thank you, that's... it's..." He gestured lamely over his shoulder at the gift before closing what little distance was left between them.

She melted into the the embrace, his lips gently pressing against hers as his hand wound through her hair. Her fingers drifted over his shoulders and she smiled against him as his breath hitched and he tugged her closer.

Her foot hit the table in the process and he laughed, low and throaty, as she turned to check what damage she'd done. "Everything still seems to be standing." He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as he leaned back against the couch. "You taste like that vile burger though."

"You've no one to blame but yourself, sailor." Smiling, she leaned against him.

"Mhmm." His arm fell over her shoulders, fingers tapping a rhythm on her arm as the timer in the kitchen went off.

A minute passed and then...

"Shouldn't you get that?"

He ducked his head, meeting her gaze. The softness and teasing in her eyes, the twinkling lights in the window dancing across her skin, made his heart race. "Nah, I'm too busy enjoying my gifts." He kissed her temple, relaxing against her once more. "Merry Christmas, Mac."

She sighed, her hand drifting down his side as her eyes closed. "Merry Christmas."


End file.
